


Scars

by Anjelle



Category: One Piece
Genre: Grief/Mourning, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-26
Updated: 2014-09-26
Packaged: 2018-02-18 20:33:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2361296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anjelle/pseuds/Anjelle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Luffy has a nightmare about his worst fear. Question is: how much of it was a dream?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Scars

"…Ace?" Luffy called softly, quietly looking past the figure in his arms. His brother's crumpled form lied against him, pressing its weight into his left shoulder. Silently he sat, kneeling in disbelief. No. No, it couldn't be. It wasn't. Ace was the strongest. He was the one who said he would never die. Never.

He could feel Ace's white-hot breaths against the nap of his neck. They snapped him back to the situation and his large eyes widened, realizing just what was going on. He moved his hand shakily into his line of view, breath catching in his throat as his vision was met with red. Warm, cruel liquid dripped from his palm—Ace's blood. His brother's. Ace was… dying.

There was a hole in his chest. Giant and gaping, it mocked Luffy. Look, he's dying for you. This is your fault. You killed your brother. Ace was saying something, what would likely be his final words, but Luffy didn't hear. Those thoughts consumed him. He was to blame? Was that true? Ace was… He was only trying to protect him. That's why he got hit—he didn't want Luffy to die. So… it was true. He was to blame.

Warm droplets met his skin. Again his eyes widened. Ace was crying. He was crying and yet, though Luffy didn't know what he was saying, he sounded happy. Why? Why would he be happy? Why was he smiling? He was going to die! He was dying… for Luffy. There was nothing to smile at. Nothing.

Suddenly his voice quieted considerably. Amidst the battlefield everything had stopped. Their comrades were watching—crying—as the life of Gold Roger's son shriveled and faded. But there was one last thing he had to say. He told Luffy to listen closely because he couldn't speak loud enough for the others to hear, but wanted them all to know how he felt. It was the little brother's job to carry on that message. And so he stayed silent, awaiting those last, heavy words.

"Thank you for loving me."

In seconds Luffy's eyes shot open, met with the familiar sight of the men's quarters on the Thousand Sunny. He shifted and sighed, wiping away the sweat that was beading down his forehead. Another day, another dream. It was nothing more than a nightmare. Really, his mind seemed to hate him. How many other nights was he woken by such imaginings? He wasn't sure, but it was far too many. Nothing scared him more than losing his brother. But… how much of it was an illusion?

When he returned his hand to his chest he felt a slight indentation—malformed skin. Breathing hitched, he rubbed his hand across it and closed his eyes. That was what he feared. That was what made his nightmares a reality. It was the remnants of a day he could only hope to forget.

No matter how many years passed, the scars remained.


End file.
